The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-11-25

that too bold, and this too miserly, and
that too wasteful; this too inactive,
and that too boisterous. Now, the
farmer, who should plant corn and wheat
and turnips in the same way, then put
them through one hopper and grind them
IN the same mill, would not be so much Of
fool as the parents who would attempt
TO discipline and educate all their children
in the same manner. Ii needs a skillful
hand to adjust these checks and balances.
The rigidity of government which Is nee
essary to hold in this impetuous nature
would utterly crush that flexible DISPOSE
tion, while the gentle reproof that
would suffice for the latter would, when
used on the former, be like attempting 90
hold a champing Bucepbalus with reins Of
gossamer.
God gives us, in the disposition of each
child, a hint as to how we ought to train
him, and, as God in the mental structure
of our children indicates what mode Of
training is the best, he also indicates in
the disposition their future occup alton. Do
not write down that child as dull because
it may not now be as brilliant as your
other children or as those of your neigh
bor. Some OF the mightiest men and
women of the centuries had a stupid
childhood. Thomas Aquinas was called
at school ''the dumb OK" but afterward
was called ''the angel of the schoolsn an Id
''the Eagle of Brittany" Kindness and
patience with child will conquer almost
any thing, and they are inspiring TO look
at. John Wesley's kiss of a child on the
pulpit stairs turned Matthias Joyce from a
profigate into flaming evangel.
The third error prevalent in the train
ing of children is the one-sided develop
ment of either the physical, intellectual
or moral nature at the expense of the
others. Those, for instance, greatly mis-
take who, while they are faithful in the
intellectual and moral culture of children,
forget the physical. The bright eyes
half quenched by night study, the cramped
chest that comes from too much bending
over school desks, the weak side resulting
from sedentariness of habit, pale cheeks
and the gauut bodies of multitudes OF
children attest that physical development
does not always go along with intellectual
and moral.
How do you suppose all those treasures
of knowledge the child gets viii look In
shattered caskets? And how much will
you give for the wealthiest cargo when it
is put into leaky ship How can that
bright, sharp blade of a child's attain
ments be welded without any handle?
What are brains worth without shoulders
to carry them? What is a child with
magnificent mind but an exhausted body?
Better that "A young man OF twenty one
go forth in the world without knowing A
from z IL he have health of body and en-
ergy to push his way through the world,
than at twenty-one to enter upon active
life, his head stuffed with Socrates, and
Herodotus, and Bacon, and La Place, but
no physical forco to sustain him in the
shock of earthly conflicts. From this in
finite blunder Of parents how many have
come out in life with a genius that could
have piled Ossa upon Pelion and mounted
upon them to scale the Heavens, and have
laid down, painting with physical ex-
haustion Before n mole-hill. They who
might have thrilled senates and mar
shaled armies and startled the world with
the shock OF their scientific batteries,
have passed their lives in picking up pre-
scriptons for indigestion. They owned
all the thunderboIts Of Jupiter, but could
not get out of their rocking chair to use
them.
Just as great is the wrong done when
the mind is cultivated and tho heart neg
lected. The youth of this day are seldom
denied any scholarly attainments. Our
schools and seminaries are ever growing
in efficiency, and the students are con-
Quoted through all the realms OF philoso-
ply, and art, and language, and mathe-
matics. The most hereditary obtuseness
gives way before the onslaught Of adroit
instructors.
But there is a development Of infinite
Importance which mathematics and the
dead languages can not affect. The more
mental power the moro capacity for evil,
unless coupled with religious restraint.
You discover what terrible power for evil
unsanctided genius possesses when you
see Scaliger, with his Bcathlng denunein-
tions, assaulting the best men Of his time;
and BIount aud Spinoza and Bolingbroke
leading their hosts Of followers into the
all-consuming fire Of skepticism and In
fidelity. Whether knowledge is a mighty
good or an unmitiKated evil depends en-
tirely upon which course it takes. The
river rolling on between round banks
makes oil the valley laugh with golden
wheat and rank grass, and, catching hold
the wheel OF mill and factory. whiris II
with great industries. But, breaking away
from restraints and dashing over banks IN
red wrath, Il washes away hnrveats from
their moorings and makes tho valleys
shrink with the catastrophe.
Fire IN the furnace heats the house or
drives sthe steamer; but, uncontrolled,
warehouses go down in awful crash before
r., and IN few hours hnlf city viii be in
black ruin, walls aud towers and
churches and monuments. You must &C
company the education Of the intellect
with the education Of the heart, OF you are
rousIng up within your child an energy
which viii ba blasting and terrific. Bet
ter a wicked Ounce than wicked philoso-
pher.
The fourth error often committed in the
training Of chIdrena is the suppression OF
childish sportfuinsss. The most triumph
ant death 0f any chid that ] ever knew
was that Of Scoviile Haynes McCollnm-
A few DAYS before that he was at my
house in Syracuse, and be ran like a deer
and his hnlloo made the woods echo. You
could hear him coming a block off, 30 fun
was he Of romp and laughter and whistle.
DON'T put religion on your child aa p
straight jacket Parents after having
for a good many years been .4ostlod ab0ut
FL tls rough world, often loose their viva
city, and are sstonished % see how their
children can act 40 thonghtlessiy of tho
earnest world all about them. That IL "a
cruel parent who anencnes any Of tho
light ia a chfidfs soul Instead of @rreat-
ing lts sportfuineas, 90 forth and help
him krumdIa the hoop, and ny fhe h t.,
and build the snow castle. Those ahonl-
dors are too little - carry burdens that
brow is too young 70 be wFiukieds thoaa
feet are TOO epriRbuy % go along nt Is
funeral paes. God bless their young
hearts,
Now Is the time for them 70 be sportfal.
Lot them ronp and ainE and laugh and
20 with q rush and hurFah. In thie way
they gather up q aurpius ~ energy
for future iifa. N0f she child that walks
aroaud vita He0wl, dragging bis feet a.
though they we're weights and sitting
d0svn ~ the hour lm uaopimg and
grumbilna I propheeg a life o1 utter inans-
ton and discomfort. sooner hush the
robins IL Tho air tiil theg are silent a. :
bat, aud lecture the friskine lambs on tbs
hillside uutll they walk like old sheer,
rather than put exhilafant childhood ia
the stocks.
The attn errof in the frainiag ~ child
hood IA che pastponemaat Il - moral
rultara umtli teu lmfe. Auft.auA#a of cal.-
arsus because - ther precoeisg have bnen